Women should talk to their doctor about treating depression during pregnancy

Many women prefer to take as few medications as possible while they are pregnant in order to reduce their baby's exposure to potentially dangerous drugs.

Many women prefer to take as few medications as possible while they are pregnant in order to reduce their baby's exposure to potentially dangerous drugs. However, when it comes to depression, experts say that taking a prescription to buy Paxil is sometimes the best thing a woman can do for her developing child.

"If we are talking about a woman who can't take care of her health as a result of battling with moderate to severe depression, she faces risks to herself as well as the baby that are associated with untreated depression during pregnancy," Dr. Sudeepta Varma, a professor of psychiatry at New York University, told ABC News.

Studies have delivered largely inconclusive results regarding the effect of using a prescription to buy Paxil during pregnancy, according to the news source. Ultimately, it should be left to a woman and her doctor to decide what the most appropriate course of treatment is.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that about 13 percent of women develop depression during or after their pregnancy. Effectively treating this condition is considered an important part of ensuring the future health of the new mother and her baby.